Category: Culture
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Berks County Christmas – Day 5 – 4th and Penn
Read more: Berks County Christmas – Day 5 – 4th and PennFifth Day of Christmas – Looking west down toward 4th and Penn Street in the 1950s. Happy shoppers walk around downtown looking for the perfect Christmas gift. The American House building is on the left in the distance.
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Berks County Christmas – Day 4 – Whitner’s Department Store
Read more: Berks County Christmas – Day 4 – Whitner’s Department StoreFourth Day of Christmas – Whitner’s Department Store, pictured in 1972 in typical Christmas decor. Did you do your christmas shopping at Whitner’s?
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Berks County Christmas – Day 3 – 5th and Penn
Read more: Berks County Christmas – Day 3 – 5th and PennThird Day of Christmas – 5th and Penn Street Christmas tree circa 1970s in front of Farmer’s National Bank building and the Colonial Trust Company building.
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Berks County Christmas – Day 2 – Snow Scene
Read more: Berks County Christmas – Day 2 – Snow SceneSecond Day of Christmas – a snow scene, downtown Reading looking toward the east side of 5th and Penn. Whitners Department Store, Farr’s Boot Shop, amongst other stores pictured in the background.
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Berks County Christmas – Day 1 – Center Square
Read more: Berks County Christmas – Day 1 – Center SquareHappy December 1st! Over the course of the next 25 days, we are going to take a trip back in time to old Penn Street Christmas scenes. Check back every day now through Christmas to see a new picture. Fifth and Penn, the town Christmas tree lit up the center circle in town circa 1950s.
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Dutch Colony Motor Inn
Read more: Dutch Colony Motor InnThe Dutch Colony Motor Inn once sat on route 422 in Exeter Township. It began operations in 1964 by Erna and R. Harding “Breity” Breithaupt. Breity Breithaupt was an aviation pioneer and owned Reading Aviation Service at Reading Regional Airport. A few years after opening they added the Antique Airplane Restaurant, named fittingly due to a 1927…
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Moore’s Diner & Queen City
Read more: Moore’s Diner & Queen CityIn the 1930’s and ’40s, Walter J. “Bill” Moore operated Moore’s Restaurant chain in Reading. He opened the first location in 1937 at the present site of Reading’s post office. The post office was constructed only two years later in 1939, in which he moved to 421 Penn Street. In addition to the 421 Penn…
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Rosedale Knitting Mill
Read more: Rosedale Knitting MillRosedale Knitting Mill was once Berks County’s third largest knitting mill, behind Berkshire and Textile. It was opened in 1914 as a manufacturer of men and women’s stockings by a man named William C. Bitting. By 1921, Rosedale employed nearly 3,000 people who settled close to the site of operations within areas that eventually became Laureldale…
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Triangle Factory Outlets
Read more: Triangle Factory OutletsThis interestingly shaped building is located at 1010 N. 9th Street, right where 8th and 9th streets split on the north end of the city. At one point it apparently held outlet stores. This was likely due to the close two block-proximity to the Reading Outlet Center, which has long been abandoned, but is currently…
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Berkshire Mall Clock
Read more: Berkshire Mall ClockThe Berkshire Mall was opened in 1970, and had an interesting clock “tower” located In front of what was then a Rite Aid in the south wing of the mall. It was removed at some point, however the same benches remain. Above you can see the “Listening Booth”, a popular record store. Below you can…
